Everything You Need to Know to Participate in the Women’s March if You’re Not in D.C.

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2016/12/12: Hundreds of activists, mostly women, gathered in front of Trump International in Columbus Circle for a "Not My President!" rally and march against the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. After speeches from protesters that included playwright & activist Eve Ensler, activists marched across 59th Street to Trump Tower on 5th Avenue. (Photo by Andy Katz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)LightRocket via Getty Images

The countdown for the Women’s March on Washington is closing in on January 21, when hundreds of thousands of people will descend on our nation’s capital to peacefully demonstrate in support of women’s rights. The grassroots effort, planned in the short two months following the election, hopes to show solidarity with all people who believe that women’s rights are human rights, and to illustrate how “vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country,” per their website.

It’s no secret that, with the inauguration the day before, the city will be flooded with not only demonstrators, but also Trump supporters turning out for the big day. Potential security threats for the city because of the inauguration, as with any large scale event, is a very real fear, prompting strict security measures throughout the city. Meanwhile, the Huffington Post reported Monday that a conservative provocateur was caught on camera trying to bribe members of a left-wing political group $100,000 to “incite a riot” and “hack the media narrative” at the inauguration.

Even if you want to go, there are plenty of reasons why you may choose not to — whether it's being nervous about potential security threats, not being able to find accommodations, not having a ride, or plain and simple not being able to make the trek down to D.C. — and that’s OK! If you still want to support the March, there are SO many things you can do to show solidarity. There are 281 “sister marches” planned in many cities across the nation AND across the globe. You can search which one is closest to you at the Women’s March website.

Planned Parenthood, which is one of 77 partners of the Women’s March, has also created its own database of independently organized events. You can search by ZIP code or browse by date on their website. Planned Parenthood also makes it easy to organize your own event by creating an account on this website.

If you can’t attend an event, or want to avoid large crowds, there are still plenty of ways to show your solidarity. You can donate to the March here. You can also join Planned Parenthood’s mobile response program by texting “STAND WITH PP” to 22422. They can provide you with updates from the ground in D.C. You can tweet your support for the event. You can make a call to your representative, expressing your concern with the Senate’s plan to defund Planned Parenthood, or repeal Obamacare in the middle of the night. You could also offer to provide transportation to people heading to NYC or D.C. (or other regional marches) by driving them to local train stations or airports.

Remember, it does NOT make you a bad feminist if you can't, or don't want to, attend the Women's March. But it is so important to do something. Show up. Call. Text. Tweet. The choice is yours.